What is a vCIO and why does your small business need one?

IT is a vital component to small business growth. Yet, not all businesses can afford to hire an internal IT department. That’s why the average business spends almost 12 percent of their IT budget outsourcing support.

In this blog, we’ll not only explore what a vCIO is, but also why your business needs one.

Let’s begin.

What is a vCIO?

A Chief Information Officer (CIO) is a c-suite level executive responsible for aligning your technology strategy with your overall business vision. This becomes invaluable as your business grows and your technology needs evolve.

A Virtual Chief Information Office (vCIO) is exactly what it sounds like. It’s an outsourced person or organisation that fulfils the duties of a CIO. This means they are not an employee and will not be office based.

Why does your small business need a vCIO?

Here are three reasons why a vCIO is just what your business needs.

1. Outsourcing a vCIO saves money

The average annual salary for a Chief Information Officer is £97,445. Think of the impact that money would have on your business if it was freed up and re-invested elsewhere. And that isn’t including national insurance contributions or any other benefits.

When you hire someone, you need to balance value added vs affordability. If you outsourced, you would spend a fraction of the price compared to hiring someone whilst securing the value you need.

2. vCIOs can be more objective

When you outsource to a vCIO, you get someone with an objective view of your business. An internal executive can be ‘too close’ to the company to see what’s best. Internal factors and politics won’t sway your vCIO as there is distance between them and the business.

Their objective insights will enable your business to make better IT and business decisions, and in turn drive business success.

3. vCIOs are experts in their field

By outsourcing to a vCIO, you gain access to their vast expertise. After all, they will have provided CIO services to more than just your business in the past.

This benefits your company because they know the IT required to compete within your market. They will also know what you need to supercharge your business growth.

More than an MSP

When you join the Pensar family, you’re more than just a client. And when we provide our services, we like to think we’re more than just a Managed Services Provider.

We know technology, but more importantly, we know what it’s capable of. Over the years, we’ve helped businesses grow and thrive with the right technology.